Cannoli ~ Deconstructed Plus Winners Announced :)

If you ever get a craving for the fabulous Sicilian treat . . .

Photo credit: Paolo Piscolla

Cannoli! :)

But you either don't have the time to  make them yourself, or you don't happen to live near a wonderful Italian bakery.  You may want to keep this recipe in mind.




All of your favorite flavors as in a traditional Cannoli but very easy to assemble. We can't really call this dessert Cannoli, because Cannoli means "little tubes", but if you don't mind bending the rules a little bit ~ it's a very satisfying dessert.





In this version lightly fried wonton triangles stand in for the pastry "tubes" but the filling and some of the accompaniments remain true to the original. The fun part is you can add "extras" if you wish ~ I had a basket of raspberries (which I prefer over the Maraschino Cherries) so I added them as well.  Later I remembered I had put up some Bing Cherries in Cognac earlier this past summer and could have offered  those instead. Oh well . . . next time!
Mini Chocolate Chips work in place of grated  chocolate and I added some chopped pistachios, as I have had in some versions. But actually, since we're already taking liberties with the authentic recipe, almost anything goes. 
And the good news is ~ it all can be made ahead; fry the wonton triangles and keep them in an airtight container. (You can fry the wonton triangles a couple of days ahead.) To fry: heat a couple of inches of vegetable oil in a deep saucepan or pot, drop  the triangles into the hot oil, a few at a time.



  They only take a few moments to turn golden brown; remove with a slotted spoon (or spider) and place them on paper towels to help drain any excess oil. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container. You can mix up the dip hours  ahead and keep it covered and refrigerated.
When it comes time to serve just put the filling in a bowl, garnish, arrange the crisp wontons around and dust the triangles  with confectioner's (powdered) sugar and enjoy.
If you would like a recipe for the cannoli filling,  there is a good one HERE.
I hope you enjoy!
~*~*~*~*~

And NOW the two winners of the Ariosto Natural Herb Seasoning Blends Library  ~  from the Ariosto Spa Buccinasco company in Italy!!

Congratulations to:

Kathy from "Sweet Up-North Mornings"

Melanie Montgomery from "Oh Slow Down ~ Life as a Newlywed"

Ladies, if you'll be so kind as to email me your shipping addresses, I'll pass the information along to the Ariosto Spa Buccinasco company so they can mail your winnings to you.
onceuponaplate (at) gmail  [DOT] com

Thank you everyone for participating in this  drawing ~ please check back often, as we'll have another giveaway coming up soon.

Blessings,  Mari xo

Quick and Easy Italian Plum Cake (You can use other fruit, too.)

This just proves, once again that delicious recipes need not be complicated! I believe the original recipe may have been from Martha Stewart but I found this one, said to be an adaptation by a reader, on chowhound.chow.com  where it was first published in 2005, and has been  popular ever since.

;
No need to arrange the fruit, unless you want to. :) The sugar sprinkle adds a pretty sparkle and a delicate  crispy crunch.
You mix the simple batter in one bowl with a spatula, pour into a greased & floured cake pan, press the fruit slightly into the batter, sprinkle the top with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and bake.


We just harvested the last of the Italian Plums from our tree, so that was my fruit of choice. The good news is that you can use other fruits too:
Plums, Apricots, Berries, Peaches, Nectarines, Pears,  Cherries, or a combination would all work in this recipe. You can use frozen berries as well, don't thaw.
The sugar sprinkle adds a pretty sparkle and a delicate  crispy crunch.
We've eaten it for breakfast, as a snack, and dessert ~ it doesn't last long around here!


So easy to put together that I made two one afternoon one to keep and one to give.

If you would like a printable copy of the recipe, it's over on my recipe blog ~ click here.

Thank you for stopping by!  Blessings ~ mari

Fresh Cherry Tart

The most time consuming thing about this delicious dessert is  pitting the fresh cherries ~ but believe me, it is SO worth it!
I use a simple cherry pitter device, but you can use a sharp paring knife to cut around the natural crevice of the cherry and pop pit out with the tip of the knife. I alway set the colander of cherries right in the sink, with a small  bowl for the pits, and a larger bowl to hold the pitted halves. I find that if I rinse the sink with cold water before  beginning the task any cherry juice/splashes rinse right off.  I don't bother wearing gloves, just rinse my hands with cold water before beginning, and every now and then to avoid staining.  (Don't forget an apron!)




The good news is that this tart only requires a few ingredients, and it's simple to put together:
Crust: Graham Cracker crust (Crushed graham crackers, melted butter and a little sugar) Or you can use store-bought, I won't tell! :) Filling: 6 ounces (from a block) of cream cheese 3/4 cups heavy (whipping cream) A little sugar Pure vanilla extract Topping: Fresh sweet cherries (such as Bing) Seedless Raspberry jam or Currant jelly  (to dab on the cherries for a shiny finish)




Oh my GOODNESS, this one is a winner!
  I adapted the recipe from an old issue of "Everyday Food" magazine ~ Though the original recipe used cherries, as I did here ~ I'm thinking any type of fresh berry (or seedless grape halves) would be absolutely delicious.

If you would like a copy of this recipe, it's on my recipe blog (click.)

Thanks for coming by today!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone.  xo~m.

Fresh Cherry Jam Tartlets

Cherry season is winding down here, and I'll miss the fresh ones until they make their appearance again next summer. Bing cherries are my favorite ~ we had a tree in our backyard while growing up, I loved to pick and eat them, juicy and sweet, warmed by the sun. Unfortunately, the birds liked them too, and often would get the reddest and most ripe ones before we could, much to my Dad's dismay!

Our Saturday Farmers Market had exceptional Bings this year, grown about an hour away from town. I purchased a lot over a couple of weeks and we enjoyed our fill of them fresh right from the stem. I also made a couple of batches of jam, and with the few remaining I made these little tartlets.

The tedious thing about cooking or baking with cherries is the task of pitting them. You can cut the pits out with a paring knife (messy and time consuming), or use one of the several types of cherry pitters available.

The homemade Bing Cherry Jam, and some of those beautiful, juicy cherries.  I love summer!

This style of pitter is my favorite; I've had it for several years ~ it's made in Italy, very nicely designed, comfortable to use and sturdy. It does a neat job of pitting a basket of cherries in a relatively short amount of time.


When cherries are in season I love to add them (pitted of course), to a fresh fruit salad ~ everybody is always surprised that I took the time to pit them (when in fact, it takes barely any time at all.)

The pits usually pop right out on the first try, and the device doesn't smash the cherries (and most of the time the stems stay intact, too; fun for fancy desserts, chocolate dipped cherries, etc.)

I always count the pits and cherries as I work, to make sure the numbers match, to assure that EVERY cherry has been pitted. It doesn't happen very often, but every once in a while a pit remains in the cherry ~ not fun to bite down on a pit.

For the cherry tartlets, you truly don't need a recipe ~ just line each cup in a tart pan with your favorite pastry dough (I cut the dough with a round cookie cutter to make the job go more quickly), then place a scant teaspoon of cherry jam in each pastry cup, and top with half of a pitted cherry (skin side up.) I top each cherry with another 1/4 teaspoon of jam, then bake in a 375˚(F) oven until the pastry is golden and the jam is bubbling.

Before serving you can give them a dusting of confectioner's sugar, or a sprinkle of finely chopped, toasted nuts ~ (I prefer them just plain.)  

 If you try them, I hope you enjoy them. The aroma in your kitchen as they bake will be heavenly! 

Thank you for coming by today ~ I hope you're enjoying a wonderful day everyone!